Apparatus for coating pipes



Jan. 5, 1932. A. G. PERKINS- APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPES Filed May 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lilly H .I i M v FM 7 y 39M @g (AI-c A. G. PERKINS Jan. 5, 1932.

APPARATUS FOR COATING PIPES Filed May 51, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 5, 1932 *UNITED STATES ALBERT G. PERKINS, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK APPARATUS FOR cosrme PIPES Application filed May 81,

This invention relates to an apparatus which has been designed more particularly for coating or lining the inner walls of pi e lines to prevent the formation of barnac es thereon.

Ithas for one of its objects to provide an apparatus of this character having novel and efficient means for applying successive coats of an adhesive material and a powder or like dry substance to a pipe-wall in an expeditious and economical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for removing any surplus of the dry substance from the pipe-wall and returning it to the feed hopper or container.

The invention has for its further object to provide certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a coating apparatus embodying my invention, the same being shown within a pipe line for treating its interior surface. Figure 2 is a rear view of the apparatus arranged within the pipe. Figure 3 is an enlarged central longitudinal section thereof. Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 4- Figure 3. Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, similar to Figure 3, showing the fluid spray nozzle and associated parts.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

While m invention is applicable in connection wit 1 different kinds of work requiring a. surface coating, it has been primarily designed fortreating the inner walls of water pipe lines with a coating of a fluid adhesive material followed by a covering of cement or like substance, whereby a surface is provided which prevents the formation of barnacles on the wall of the pipe line. To this end the apparatus consists, generally, of a carriage adapted to be propelled through the pipe line, a revolving discharge nozzle constructed to deliver the charge of fluid and cement to the pipe-wall in predetermined sequence, and means for removing any surplus of the ce- 1980. Serial No. 458,482.

ment or other dry substance from such wall.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates a section'of pipe through which my apparatus is adapted to travel for treating or coating the inner wall of the pipe with a protective covering or lining. The carriage of the apparatus may be of any appropriate construction, but preferably conslsts of a longitudinal frame 11 including front and rear sets of wheels 12, 12 and intermediate sets of wheels 13, the several sets of wheels being driven by an electric or air motor 14 connected by gearing 15, 16 with the driving shaft 17 of either the front or rear sets of wheels 12. Motion is also transmitted to the intermediate sets of wheels and for this purpose a sprocket chain 18 is provided which 1 passes at its ends around sprocket wheels 19 applied to the wheels 12, while its upper and lower stretches enga e sprocket wheels 20 applied to the interme iate sets of wheels 13. As shown in Figure 1, the front and rear sets of wheels 12 are smaller in diameter than the intermediate sets of wheels 13 so that normally, as the machine travels through the pipe, said front and rear wheels clear the pipe wall, while the intermediate sets of wheels engage the pipe wall, these wheels being preferabl provided with a 8g rubber or like tread sur ace.

Surmounting the frame 11 is a latform 21 which is preferably so moun that it can be adjustable vertically'relatively to the frame. For this purpose it carries depending le s or posts 22 which telescopically engage tubular members 23applied to said frame.

The platform is held in any desired set position relative to the frame by set screws 24 or other equivalent means. Disposed centrally of the platform adjacent the rear end thereofis a longitudinally extending tubular member or revolvable head 25 journaled at its ends in bearings 26 and provided at its rear end with a spraying device or applicator indicated generally by the numeral 27. This tubular member is designed'to receive the materials to be sprayed and thence deliver them under pressure to the revolving s ray ing device 27, which is designed to disc arge the materials successively and in proper sequence to the pipe wall as the machine travels throu h it. To this end, the member is provi ed with a centrally disposed conduit or chamber 28 for receivin a charge of ce- 5 ment or like substance, the ront or inlet end of this conduit opening into the lower end of a feed hopper or race tacle 29 containing a supply of cement,-an the latter being conveyed from the hopper through the conduit by a feed screw 30 which extends lengthwise through said parts, as seen in Figure 3. Communicating with the discharge end of this conduit and radiating from the revolving member 25 is a sectional nozzle or discharge tube 31 into which the cement is delivered from the conduit and thence discharged from its mouth on to the pipe wall. The feed screw maybe driven b an electric or air motor 32 through the me ium of a pinion 33 and gear 34. As shown in Figure 3, the sections of this nozzle are telescopically joined and the outer section carries a guide roller or gage wheel 35 which is disposed for rolling contact with the inner wall of the pi 10 and should there be any uneveness in t e pipe, a coil sprin 36 interposed between the nozzle sections wil permitthe outer section to move radially outward and will constantly maintain the charge mouth of the nozzle in proper relation to the pipe wall. This gage wheel also governs the thickness or the amount of cement applied to the pipe by maintaining the nozzle mouth at a predetermined distance from the inner surface ofthe ipe.

Formed in the me r 25 and surrounding the cement conduit 28 thereof are a plurality of concentric chambers or passages 3 38 and 39. The chamber 37 is adapted to receive a supply of fluid adhesive material, the chamber 38 is adapted to communicate with a source of air pressure which is employed for spraying the fluid material on to the pipe wall, and the chamber 39 is adapted to communicate with a source of suction which is utilized to remove an surplus of cement applied to the pipe. T e fluid material is applied to the pipe through the medium of a nozzle 40 disposed radially adjacent to the cement nozzle 31 and containing a passage 41 communicating at its inner end with the fluid compartment 37 and also containing an air passage 42 communicating at its inner end with 25, air being introduced from the last-named chamber into the air tube through a port 43 arranged adjacent the inner end of the nozzle. It will be noted from Figure 5, that the air passage 42 terminates short of the outer end of the nozzle to create a suction effect in the fluid pamage 41 and thereby accomplish a spraying action of the fluid as it is discharged from the nozzle. The vacuum chamber 39 communicates at its outer or rear end with a radial tube or nozzle 44 applied to the re- 65 volving member 25 and having its discharge the air compartment 38 of the member end disposed close to the pipe wall. I have shown two of such suction nozzles in the drawings, which are disposed substantially at right angles to each other and at right angles to the cement nozzle 31 and the fluid nozzle 41, respectively, as shown in Figure 2. These several nozz es are otherwise so disppsed, that, during the revolution of the memr 25, the nozzle 40 will first s my the fluid adhesive on to the pipe wall, a ter which the cement will be app ied to the adhesive coating from the nozzle 31, and finally the vacuum nozzle or nozzles 44 will act to remove any surplusage of cement from the pipe wall and return it to the point of supply.

Mounted on the front end of the machine alongside the cement hopper 29 is a tank 45 whic contains a suppl of fluid adhesive or equivalent material. 'l he upper end of this tank has a filling pipe 46 and opening into the lower end of the tank is an outlet or discharge ipe 47 leading to the fluid chamber 37 in t e member 25. This fluid may be forced from the tank to its chamber by air pressure, an air pipe 48 being shown connected to the tank for this pur ose. A branch 49 of this air pipe leads to t e air chamber 38 and is employed for spraying the fluid issued from the nozzle 31. The vacuum employed for removing any surplus cement from the pipe wall may be derived from a suction fan or like device, not shown, the suction pipe 50 of the latter bein preferably connected to the u per end of t e cement receptacle 29 and lea ing from the same is a vacuum pi 51 communicating at its other end with t e chamber 39 in the member 25. By this arrangement' as the suction nozzle 44 picks u any surplus material from the pipe wall it is conveyed through the nozzle to the chamber 39 and thence through the pipe 51 back to the receptacle 29.

i The means for establishin communication between the pipes 47, 49 an 50 and the corresponding chambers 37. 38 and 39 of the revolving head 25 are substantiall the same and a description of one will su ce for the others. This connection preferably consists of a distributing collar 52 surround' the revolving head and having an interna annular groove 53, the chambers 37, 38 and 39 being provided with inlet ports 54, 55 and 56, respectively, which communicate with the surrounding groove of the corresponding distributing collar 52, as seen in Figures 3 and 5. To prevent leakage of the fluid between the distributing collar and the contiguous wall of the revolvin member 25, packing glands 57 are screwe into opposite ends of said collar.

In order to loosen any surplus cement applied to the pipe-wall, I preferably provide one of the vacuum nozzles 44 with effective means for accomplishing this result. These means may consist of a rubber or like flexfor receivin ible agitator brush 58 applied to the leading side of the nozzle and a yieldable wiper 59 of rubber or like material applied to the trailing side of the nozzle. B this construction the brush loosens and brea s up any surplusage of the cement to enable the suction nozzle to readily pick it up, while the wiper smooths the cement coating evenly over the path of travel of the nozzle.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the exact details of construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, and that various changes therein and modification thereof ma be made within the scope of the appended aims without departing rom the splrit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim as my invention 1. An apparatus for lining pi -walls, comprising a revolving member inc uding a central conduit in communication with a source of coatin material and a chamber a uid adhesive material, discharge nozz es in communication with said conduit and said chamber for applying said materials to the pipe-wall in succession one over the other, means arranged within said conduit for forcing the coating material bodily through its nozzle and depositing it on the ipe-wall, and means for delivering the flui material from its nozzle in substantially the form of a spray.

2. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising a revolving member including a central conduit in communication with a source of coatin material and a chamber for receiving a flui adhesive material, discharge nozzles applied to said revolving member to turn therewith and disposed in different radial positions, one of said nozzles including an air tube for eflecti the spraying of the fluid material on to t e pipe-wall, means arranged within said conduit for forcing the coating material bodily through its nozzle and depositin it on to the fluid-surfaced pipe-wall, and means for efiecting the removal of any surplus of coating material from said pipe-wal 3. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising a chambered member for receiving independent'charges of coating materials, one of the materials being substantially in the form of a fluid adhesive and the other being a substantially dry substance, revolving nozzles in communication with said chambered member for applying the mate rials, respectively, to the pipe-wall in predetermined sequence, and means for removing any surplusage ofthe dry materialfrom the pipe-wa 4. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising a chambered member for receivin g independent charges of coating materials, one of the materials bein substantially in the form of a fluid adhesive and the other 'spectively, to the pi mg nozzles in communication with said chambered member for applyin the materials, re-

-wal in predetermined sequence, saidmem r having a tlnrd chamber adapted for communication with a source of vacuum, and a revolving nozzle connected to said third chamber and dis osed with its mouth inopposing relation tot e ipe-wall to remove an surp usage of the ry coating substancet erefrom. 1 a

5. An apparatus for lining pipe-walls, comprising a chambered member for receiving inde endent charges of coating materials, one of t e materials being substantially in the form of a fluid adhesive and the other being a substantially dry substance, revolving nozzles in communication with said. chambered member for applying the materials, respectively, to the pipe-wall 1n predetermined sequence, said member having a third chamber adapted for communication with a source of vacuum, a revolving nozzle connectcd to said third chamber and disposed with its mouth in opposing relation to the ipe-wall to remove any surplusage of the ry coatin substance therefrom, and means on said his named nozzle for loosening such surplusage from the ipe-wall.

6. An apparatus or lining pipe-walls, comprising a chambered member for receiving independent charges of coating materials, one of the materials being substantiallyrn the form of a fluid adhesive and them-her being a substantially dry substance, revolv: ing nozzles in communication with said bered member for applying the materials, respectively, to the plpe wall in predetermined sequence, chamber adapted for communication with a source of vacuum, a revolving nozzle connected to said third chamber and disposed said member having athird 1.05

with its mouth in opposing relation to the pipe-wall to remove any surplusage of the dry coating substance therefrom, an agitator applied to the leading edge of said last-named nozzle-mouth for loosening such surplusage from the pipe-wall, and a wiping device applied to the trailing edge of said nozzle-mouth and engaging the coated surfaces of said pipe- 7 An apparatus of the character described, comprising a revolving member including a plurality of chambers for receiving independent charges of a fluid adhesive material, a dry substance, and air under pressure, radial nozzles projecting from said member and in communication with said respective chambers for applying the adhesive and the dry substance successively to a pipe-wall, the nozzle for applying the adhesive fluid containing an air tube connected to said air chambers for spraying the fluid on to the pipe-wall, and

means for forcing the dry substance through itB-C BintBrQhatmme thrbu h the nozzle on; to the fluid-coated ipe-wa '8. An apparatus of t a character described,

'- comprising a revolvin memberincluding a plurality ofic'hambers or receiving independ-' ent charges 9f :1 fluid adhesive material, a dry substance, and air under vressure', said mem be: {also having a feud; chamber adapted ifo r coiimlunication a source 'of vacuum,

radial nozzles projecting from said member and in communication with said respective fi'rstma'med chambers for applying the adhesive and thedry substance successively to' a pipe-wall, thenozzle for applying the fluid pipe-wall. T

containin an air tubeconnectedto said air chamber or s raying the fluid on to the pipewa11,; means or,f0rcin the dry substance throughits chamber an thence through the 1 -nozzle onto the-fluid coated pipe-wall, and a nozzle in cojmmunicationwith said vacuum chamber and disposed to remove any surplusage of the applleddry substance from the ALBERT PERKINS. 

